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How did Scout's mother die in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout's mother died suddenly when Scout and Jem were very young. Scout was only two at the time, and she could not even remember her mother clearly. Although she could not remember her mother, Scout heard from Mrs. Dubose, a neighbor, that she was a lovely lady. Scout and Jem's mother "died from a sudden heart attack" (Chapter 1).  A heart condition was hereditary in their mother's family.


In the absence of Scout's mother, Calpurnia...

Scout's mother died suddenly when Scout and Jem were very young. Scout was only two at the time, and she could not even remember her mother clearly. Although she could not remember her mother, Scout heard from Mrs. Dubose, a neighbor, that she was a lovely lady. Scout and Jem's mother "died from a sudden heart attack" (Chapter 1).  A heart condition was hereditary in their mother's family.


In the absence of Scout's mother, Calpurnia became a mother-like figure for the Finch children. She tended to the housework and watched over the children when their father was not at home. She was hired to work in the Finch home, but she was treated almost like family. Calpurnia guided independent Scout with "gentle grumblings of general disapproval" (Chapter 10). Scout sometimes resented how strict Calpurnia was, but she appreciated the motherly love she received from the woman.

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